Key holder



July 21, J CQLLINS 2,048,599

I KEY HOLDER Filed April 11, 1935 14 112? fams'jy. fblzzlms' PatentedJuly 21, 1936 UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE r KEY HOLDER- James M.Collins, North Attleboro, Mass. Application April 11, 1935, Serial No.15,850 Y 5 Claims. (01. 5996) This invention relates to an improvedkeyholder or key-ring adapted for attachment to a chain-or the like orto be carried in the pocket or other receptacle. 5

,Qne object of the invention is toprovideia keyholder or key-ring of thetype indicated which maintains the keys suspended in close associationand compact arrangement so that they may be conveniently carried in thepocket or other ..receptacle without bulging or expanding the same. f vV j 'Anotherobject of the invention is to provide an improved key-ringor key-holder having means for; securely locking the keys'in connectedrelationshiptherewith while permitting their ready removal andreplacement. V 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved key-ring orkey-holder in which the key-retaining means may be easily manipulated torelease the keys while being securely held closed andlocked in position.-Anothcr object ofthe invention is to provide a device of thetype'indicated which is of simple structure, economical to manufactureand more convenient in use than previously known articles of likenature. 7

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the followingspecification which describes the improved key-ring or key-holder inseveral 'di-fierent forms as illustrated by the accompany;- ing drawing.'In the drawing: a

Fig. 1 is a prespective view showing a preferred .form 'of the improvedkey-ring or key-holder with suspended therefrom Fig; 2 is an enlargedside view of this form of'key-ring showing the latch or retaining-meansswung into open position to permit; placing the 'keys on orremov-ingthem from the ring;

Fig, 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view, taken on line 3-3 ofFigx2, showing the constructionpf the'swivel ring for attachmentto thechain; I

- Fig. 4 is a'view similar to Fig. 2 showinga modilied form ofconstruction of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a. perspective view of the latch and suspension means for thistype of device. 1 a I The present invention consists in general inprovidinga U-shaped or-bifurcated loop-member adapted tobe passedthrough the openings in the 'keys with the legs 'or free ends of theloop connected by a latching device and having a swiveled'suspensionmember for joinder to the end of achain; -.In Figs-land 2 the bifurcatedloop-member 2 is illustrated as constructed from a strip of spring:'metal of rectangular cross-section which is bent into asemi-circularloop 3' with legs 4 and .5 extending therefrom. One of thelegs 4 is bent ati'right-angles' to form a lateral end-portion or arm 6projecting to a point substantially midway between the ends of the legs.The end of the arm 6 is formed with a hub or enlargement l piercedwith-a hole for'receiving a pin or rivet 8 which serves as a pivot for alatch-member ID. The latch-member ID is constructed in the form .of. arelatively narrow loop having opposite parallel arms with bosses ll attheir ends adapted to straddle the sides of the boss or hub 1 on the endof thearm 6. The bosses .II are provided with apertures for receivingthe ends of the pin orv rivet 8 which is headed over to pivotally con-.nect the parts in the manner as later explained.

The free end of the arm 5 is beveled at l2 and formed on itsouter sidewith a detent-notch or recess l3 adapted to receive the looped end ofthe latch Ill when the leg 5 is sprung toward the leg-A-to close thering inpthe manner illustrated in Figil of the drawing. The beveled endI2 of the'leg 5 facilitates the sliding of the loop of the legsstraddling the sides of the bosses II on the latch Ill and pivotallyconnected to the hub l on the-arm Got the ring by the rivet 8. Referringfurther to Fig.. 3, the connecting cross-piece ll of the element i5 isprovided with a hole for receiving the shank 18 of a ring 20 forattachment to the end of a chain 2| shown in Fig. 1. For

this,.purposethe chain 2| preferably has a sovcalled fjump' -ringdwhichmay be hooked through ,the swivel-ring 20 and closed .by means of aspring-latch 22. The, shank I8 of the ring 20 has itsend headed over at23 to secure it to the bifurcated element I 5, this connection beingmade loosely,-toallowathe. ring to turnfreely on a vertical axis, asviewed in Fig- 3, while the pivot .joint of theelement I5 allows the.whole to swing on a horizontal axis; thus providing a completely.

chain. 1

Fig. 4 illustrates amodified form of the device wherein the bifurcatedmember or loop 24 is constructed of'round. wire instead of wire ofrectangular cross-sectionas shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this embodimentof theinvention the latching-means is of slightly different form,comprising a loop-like member 25 having .bosses '26 at the ends of itsarms pivotally connected to ahub 21 at the endot the cross-arm 28 on thebifurcated member 24 by means of a rivet or pin 29. Formed integral withthe latch 25 is asecondary loop .30 extending from .the bosses 2.6. atsubstantially right-angles to thefirst loop. The loop 30 .has a V theend of a key-chain and also serves as a handle or finger-piece for.swinging the latch 25 to engage its end with, or release it from, thenotch 3i 7 in the end of the free leg 32 of the bifurcated 'member 24. ta

With either form of construction the method 10f: operation of the deviceis as next explained;

a -When it is desired to place one or a numberof' keys on the ring orholder the leg 5 1s sprung toward the oppositeleg'l to release the endof thelatch [0 from the notch I3's0that-the latch maybe swung upwardlyto the position illustrated in Fig. 2. When the latch I0 is released inthis manner the leg 5 springs; outwardly away:

from the leg 4, thereby providing a relatively wide opening to'permitpthe keys to be readilyplaced over the end of thejlegi' to adaptthem'to assume 7 a'groupedrelationship as shown in Fig.1. V jp'when'the. desired number of keyshave been scribed therleg 5 is sprunginwardly toward the placed on the'holder'in the manner asabove deleg 4and the latch l0 swung downwardly to "engage its end'in'the detent-notchl3. 7 In this way the ring or holder is closed with itstwolelgs sef "cure ly connected or locked together torprevent .the keys from beingaccidently released therefrom. The holder with its attached keys may becarried loosely in the pocket, bag o r other re 'ceptacle or may beattached to a; chain 21 ih the mannershownin Figgl; The swiveled connec"tion of the ring 20 withthe end of the crossarm V :6 of the. holderprovides for free movement or ithe holder to adapt it toassumega'gconvenient position' when selecting a particular key to be.

used or when the holderwith its attached keys isplaced inthe pocket orother receptacle, Y

v Due tethe inherent spring tendency of the 'wire {or other materialfrom which the holder is constructed the latch." l0 is securelyfheld inV V 40 locking'engagement with the end of t her leg} of the loop-member.2 to; resist anyi tendencyto 'unlatch or openthe holder. Tl'ielreys'may slide around" the loop-member 2:. and in one j'pos'ition ,willbring 'up against the crossarm 6; -while it sliding in the oppositedirection they will beheld ibyithe latch in: so thatthey';cannotpossibly ".escapefrom'the ring.

The 'method of operation for hie-iiioduiei' ib'rhi :'of constructionshown in Fig. 4 isessentiallythe same as that of the construction firstdescribed,

7 except that thelatch '25 may be. conveniently manipulated by pressureof theflngers on' its looped portion 30 the dash .lihesin Fig 4 indi1eating the latch-member as adjustedjto open position. I

It will be the present. inventioni'providesa particularly i simple'andingenious form of keyring or holder f 3 which may be manujactured fromstrip material leg provided with a detent-notch at its end, a

looped .end of the latch,- and supporting means '1. A key-holdercomprising a loop-member constructed of resilient material andhaving aa? curved portion and parallel legs extendingfrom the ends of its curvedportion with across-arm projecting inwardly from the end of one of thelegs, a loop-shaped latch pivoted'to the end of said cross-arm to adaptit to be swung into en- ;gagement with the free end of the opposite legi of the loop," said opposite leg being provided with means at its endfor locking engagement with the" for the loop member connected to thecross arm medially or the parallel legs 2. A,key-holdercomprising aU-shaped loopmember formed of resilient strip material and havingparallel extendingf legs adapted t'o'fbe flexed toward and away fromeachother, 0 efgf said legs being'bent at right-angles to 'form anvinwardly-directed lateral arm andflthe' oppo'site V loop-shaped latchpivoted to. the end of ,theilateralarm medially of the parallel legs andshaped."

to' adapt its closed end to slide over the en'd 'of the free leg whenthe latter'is resilientlyflexe'd toward the opposite leg to engage the'notch' there- 5 in, a swivelmemberfhinged to the pivot forthe' latch,"and a member-p V W 35 A key-holder'compris'ing a' bifurcated mem-s b erconstructed'from resilient strip-material-bent 397 into an arcuate loop'with opposite para llel-legs formingcontinuations thereof, the end 'ofbne'of the legs being provided with 'ardetent -riot ch and the oppositele'g being bent at'right-angles'to' 'form a laterally extendingcross-armjhavingf an 3 apertured' hub at its elndyalatchlconstru'c'ted'in the term of a loop having its sides straddlingthehub 0n the cross-arm and pivoted,thereto'medial ly of thepa'rallellegs with its closed end adapted to slide over the e'nd'of the free legof'theb'ifurcated member to engage the detent-friot'ch there.-

in, and supporting 'rneans' forfthe: bifurcated 7' member hinged to thevpivotfor theiflatchrj f f "4.'"A key-holder comprising a bifurcatedmeni ber of resilient strip' material having- 'a ci rved. portion withoppositefparallel legs extending therefrom one of saidle'gsjormed withjadetent notchiat its amend the opi Q'site'leg beingb'ent at substantiallyright-angles to forni'a'laterally- 7 extending cross-arm, and alatch'meniber injhe 5 .fOIl'I J. of a doubleloopha'vin'g' its sides'pivot ed to the end of thecross-arm medially of thepai'alle'l 7 observedfrom i the foregoing; that a in the nature of f round or square wireby'a simple. bending operation, The latch-member maybe struck upfrom'sheet-metal andthe parts Y 'joined by a simple a rivetingoperation; :Where the swiveled ring connection 'is employed this "legswith one looped end of the latchadaptedto slide over the end of :thejreeleg of the'bifurcated 5 7 member to snap into the notch thereiniand" theother loop portion disposed to extend upwardly from' the pivot toprovide a connection for a chain; 7 .01 thelike.

- 5. A key-holderfcomprislng'a Buumiedm fmv, ber constructed o fresilient "strip material bent 9' into the form of; a,loophavingparallel legs extending therefrom, one of said legs'beingbeveled at its' end and provided with a notch disposed f 7' (inwardlytherefroln' the opposite leg being bent may also be 'constructedfrornstampings so, that the whole device is designed, to be manufactured atlow cost: At .the same. time,1the device is extremely practical in useand safe and secure than those herein shown may be madein'thestructureJand arrangement of the parts of the I as a holder forkeys or the like."

It is to be understood that miodifications'other device withoutdeparting from the spirit or: scope of the invention. a Therefore,without limiting 'myself in this respect, I claim:

loop hinged to the" pivot for the latch'gf at right-angles to form"a,laterally-extending cross-arm, a latchjof bifurcated"forrnpivot edtoo I the end of the cross-arm medially of the p arallel, 7' legs with itslooped end adaptedto eng'a'gethebeveled end of the me to ntly flexthei.'rlatter'towar'd theropposite leg r e hre'o'ver 7Q.

to'snaplinto engagement withthe detent fnotch ito .lock-the latch inclosed position, and a closed f JAMES M'QCOILLINSQ: 7 Q

swivelly connected

